The NotSoSecret Chamber of Secrets
by Kel6
Summary: Everyone thinks Salazar Slytherin was a twisted loonie, right? Well, what if he didn't want to rid the school of Muggleborns? What if that was all a big misunderstanding? One-shot fic.


'I don't know what your problem with it is Godric?' said Salazar, reasonably. 'It's not hurting anyone. Do you think that I don't need time to myself occasionally.'  
  
'Can't you do that in your office, or any other of your secret little rooms? You've got enough enchantments on them?'  
  
'I like this new one, it's bigger than the others, and Helga will never be able to get in, like she does with all the rest.'  
  
'Look,' said Godric, his voice raising impatiently, his dark eyebrows knotted in a heavy frown. 'It's not so much the secret chamber, or the fact that Helga's moaning that she can't find it. It's the fact that you've got a bloody Basilisk in there!'  
  
'What the hell's the problem with that?' snapped Salazar, losing his temper and jumping to his feet. 'You have pets and you don't see me moaning!'  
  
'I don't keep lethal creatures!'  
  
'So!?'  
  
'Boys, boys,' spoke a new voice, from the door; it was Rowena. She walked towards them, pulled them back down into their chairs and sat between them, smoothing her blue silk skirt and hair. Always elegant, Rowena never looked a mess. Both Salazar and Godric felt very untidy next to her, and while Godric pulled his robes into place, Salazar tidied his hair, which had been coming loose, as it was tied.  
  
'Now,' she said, 'what on earth is the problem here?' Salazar opened his mouth to speak, but Godric leapt in first:  
  
'He's made another secret chamber, and he's keeping a basilisk in it,' he said, hastily. Rowena turned towards Salazar, who was tempted to deny it and make Godric look like a fool. However, he was proud of Spots, wasn't he? He wouldn't lie about him.  
  
'Yes,' he told Rowena, 'and what of it?'  
  
'Salazar, the parents aren't going to stand for it if a child - or more than one - die because your basilisk got a bit hungry.'  
  
'Rowena, my dear, you are obviously mistaking me for a Gryffindor, I have this completely under control. Spots is locked up and no-one but me can get at him.'  
  
'Spots?' said Godric, faintly.  
  
'Yes, well, it was going to be Salazar Junior, but -'  
  
'Salazar, what makes you think a student, or a teacher, might not accidentally stumble across this chamber one day and let the thing out?'  
  
'It's protected, only I can open it.'  
  
'That's impossible,' said Helga, from the door. 'I will find a way if it's the last thing I do.'  
  
'It's perfectly possible, only a Parselmouth can open it. And I'm the only parselmouth here.' Helga narrowed her eyes, she didn't trust Salazar's gift.  
  
'Salazar, there will be other Parselmouths, they may find a way in, they may instruct your basilisk to kill people.'  
  
'Spots would never harm a fly. Besides, having a basilisk around might get rid of a few Mudbloods.'  
  
***  
  
'. Besides, having a basilisk around might get rid of a few Mudbloods.' Elizabeth froze. Professor Slytherin was arguing with the others again. He had a basilisk! She had studied them in her sixth year lessons and knew how dangerous they were.  
  
'Salazar!' that was Professor Gryffindor. 'I order you to get rid of the basilisk instantly.' *He'd better not give in* thought Elizabeth.  
  
'No.' She smiled slightly, Professor Slytherin was her head of house: she wouldn't want him to lose a fight like this. 'I'm telling you, a chamber of secrets that only Parselmouths can open means that everything is perfectly safe. It'll only be my heirs, if any, and a couple of other weirdos. Nothing to worry about' Of course, Professor Slytherin would say something like that, she felt sure that the basilisk would finish off some Mudbloods soon enough.  
  
Mudbloods didn't deserve to go to Hogwarts, her parents and Professor Slytherin had taught her that much. They were dirty, and not trustworthy, and Muggles liked to kill witches and wizards.  
  
She ran straight back to her common room to tell her friend, Mary.  
  
***  
  
'You know I wouldn't let any Mudbloods get killed, I might dislike them, but as long as they don't come into my house, I'm happy to ignore them.' Salazar was being truthful, for a change. There was no point in lying. 'Besides, Spot will just stay in there for a few hundred years, then die of old age, nothing else will happen.'  
  
***  
  
Ruth looked up from her work.  
  
Two of the seventh year girls, Mary and Elizabeth, were talking quietly in the corner. It wasn't directed at Ruth, but she had heard that Elizabeth had been listening in on something and was interested.  
  
'. Don't tell anyone but he said this basilisk was in a secret chamber and could only be accessed by Parselmouths, but he also said that it would kill the Mudbloods. He said the next parselmouths will probably be his heirs, so he's waiting until Gryffindor and the others are dead, so they can't stop him .'  
  
Professor Slytherin was planning to rid the school of Mudbloods with a basilisk in a Secret Chamber!? Ruth found this hard to swallow. That would, of course, be brilliant! She'd love to be a parselmouth, so she could open the Chamber later in her life and get rid of all the filth.  
  
Elizabeth and Mary would be leaving the next year, she would tell everyone about this after they left. In days to come, an heir might open the Chamber and set the Basilisk on the Mudbloods.  
  
Her friend, Rose, sat down beside her, nodding hello and starting on her work. Ruth's head was racing, should she tell her about this amazing plan to get rid of the filth. Perhaps she should wait until next year. However, until then, she had one really important question: 'Rose,' her friend looked up. 'What's a Basilisk?'  
  
***  
  
Tom Riddle sat down in the shadows at the back of the common room. He'd been up all day, but he wasn't in the slightest bit tired.  
  
A menacing form leaned over him.  
  
'Are you a first year?' it grunted, and Tom guessed that it was a boy. He nodded. 'Speak up!' the gorilla-like thing snapped.  
  
'Yes,' he said.  
  
'Well, likkle firstie, I've got an interesting story to tell you. Did you know, that hidden in the Chamber of Secrets, under the school, is a Basilisk, just waiting to be set free to kill all the Mudbloods. But only the true heir of Salazar Slytherin himself can do it. So you'd better watch out, firstie, keep on my good side, because I've found where the Basilisk is, and I can set it on you, no matter who your parents are.' The boy chuckled menacingly and turned away. Tom decided it was wise not to ask any further questions.  
  
He wondered what a Basilisk was. And a Parselmouth. And what was so special about the heir of Slytherin? And what was wrong with Mudbloods? 


End file.
